A Newry woman will be among the 22 hopefuls entering the grandeur – and mind games – of Ardross Castle as The Traitors returns to BBC One tonight (New Year’s Day).
Rachel Duffy (42), a head of communications from Newry, is set to take her seat at the famous round table as the hit reality game show launches its brand-new civilian series at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
The hugely popular format, hosted once again by Claudia Winkleman, sees strangers brought together to battle wits, deception and suspicion in pursuit of a life-changing cash prize. But among them are traitors — hidden saboteurs tasked with secretly “murdering” their fellow contestants before they are found out and banished.
While little is yet known about how Rachel plans to approach the game, her background in communications could well give her an edge as players bluff, bond and betray their way through the competition.
The fourth regular series follows on from the star-studded celebrity edition this autumn, which captured audiences of over 15 million and featured household names including Sir Stephen Fry, Celia Imrie, Jonathan Ross and Kate Garraway.
But many fans agree the return to ordinary contestants brings a richer level of secrecy — and often sharper gameplay.
This year’s line-up features an eclectic mix of professions and personalities: a crime novelist, a retired police detective, a poker-playing gardener, a psychologist, a cyber security consultant, a civil servant, a barrister and even a nursery school teacher — all ready to test their ability to detect lies… or tell them.
The cast also includes:
Harriet Tyce, crime author and former barrister, who says she “spends her life killing people on the page”
Amanda, a retired detective armed with interview experience and an eye for deception
Ellie, a psychologist planning to keep her profession under wraps while analysing others
James, a gardener and former poker player known for his ability to “read people like a book”
Stephen, a cyber-security specialist who believes being a traitor gives the best odds of survival
Public intrigue has already been stirred after promotional clips revealed a mysterious red cloak, sparking speculation of a new twist — potentially shaking up the usual green-hooded traitor tradition.
With the return of the castle’s shadowy corridors, high-stakes missions and the nail-biting round table banishments, viewers will be watching eagerly to see whether Newry’s own Rachel can outwit her rivals — or avoid becoming one of the first to fall victim to the traitors’ plotting.
The Traitors airs tonight at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
